Snowflake Thread: Coaching Vs. Cincinnati

This might sound crazy and I'm not sold that the offensive line is bad. That's two hundred yard days for a runningback in the first two games. When was the last time that happened? The problem is at QB. Jim, Tim and Pep need to consider getting Peters in there on some plays. Open the possibilities more. I don't remember guys like Henne or Griese making plays like this in their fourth year as Speight does. If you're going to run on first down a majority of the plays and everyone knows it, then why cant Peters come in there and hand the ball off and get him a feel for the game? What's the difference between him or Speight doing it? Maybe it'll flip a switch for Wilton or maybe it won't. Be great if it did. Let Peters throw some playaction bombs or quick throws out and acclimate him to the offense? Seeeee how he does. We all know he has better touch and is the more accurate QB. What are you guys waiting for? Go Blue!

Not a fan of the play calling. And how does McCray always end up covering a running back on a wheel route? when will we learn?

are the players meant to execute what you call. I think in terms of the players on the roster, you may have to consider that at this point in time, this might be Harbaugh's weakest team at Michigan. Look at the depth chart. We can rationalize it all we want, but returning starters isn't a stat without any meaning.

In terms of actual coaching, I just wondered what the heck the TO strategy before HT was all about. I mean okay so you don't take the TO ahead of their 3rd down because after all they may get a 1st down and you don't want them to have more time to get a score. But then they do that...and you do take a TO giving them more time to get a score. It didn't end up making a difference but at that point the whole team including the staff felt very wobbly.

 

This game reminded me of last year. We had a game like this and then we reeled off wins in a row. Was that Colorado? Anyway, the team looks similar. Not too different. We did pretty good with three close losses. So, at this point, I am still high on this team to finish the year well. I am hoping the breaks will fall on our side this year. This team is young and can still improve. We already looking better in our run game. So there is hope. We shouldn't be worse than last year.

TV snowflake: Three reasons why I cringe when I see that Brock Huard is the color commentator for the broadcast:

1) too many references to his own playing career. "The turf here today is even harder than when I was playing."

2) the uncanny ability to be immediately proven wrong. "Speight is uncomfortable, he's not in a groove, he can't get the ball to his receivers." (Speight throws a dart to Grant Perry).  Pause. "Outstanding."

3) his frankly weird way of speaking where he takes on the voice of someone else.  "The defense has been worn down today.  (now taking over the voice of an unnamed defensive player) I'm tired, I've been on the field all day.  I'm out of gas."

..saw Pep and Drevno in the booth and thought it was 2 Mike Debords'. Bizarre play calling. Get a good gain on a run then it turns into Air Speight? Odd wheel route to Khalid Hill who they also targeted way too much in FL game and list goes on but I'll just be happy and eat my pizza for now.

I know some people on here have been complaining about Drevno and his play calling for quite awhile. Though it's really Harbaugh's offense and the plays he wants to run. This is pretty much what he ran at Stanford. We just don't have the QB or dominate offensive line to make it run great. Harbaugh's offense needs true talent because he's not relying on the read option, tempo or even a lot of spread sets to beat teams. The design of our offense will sometimes make it look like the coaches are making bad play calls.

Techinical coaching was fine, but the mental coaching was awful. I don't know what has gotten into JH, but he needs to remember who he is. Today, he did not attack with an enthusiasm unkown to mankind. I KNOW this coach can spark a fire under this Michigan team so they could erupt in the second half, but he never seemed to make that ignition. There was never a "LET'S GO! C'MON" moment where he brought any energy to this team. I'm starting to be afraid he's looking ahead too much. also, GIFable Harbaugh has made a strange disappearance.

I'll put this under coaching because it was a personnel decision ... Where has McDoom been with the highly effective jet sweeps???? DPJ did a nice job on the end around. But Cincy showed, all day, a lack of sealing the edge. Anybody know if he is injured or something?!?!

When do we get concerned about play calling from drevno. It really isn't coherent.

This wasn't the case of bad offensive playcalling. It isn't the case of motivation. The defense did fine. The offense gained a decent number of yards, but again had some sloppy mistakes that cost them. All is not lost, it is a young team, give them time to grow into it.

So, I'm not the kind of guy to panic and it always amuses me watching the meltdowns.  However, it's pretty often that any team, even pro teams have a let down after a big game the previous week.  We won our let down and that's something good teams do.  

 

That being said, it does concern me that our interior offensive line/run game and our offensive line as a whole isn't very good right now.  That isn't something we were unaware of going into the season though.

handed the ball to the referees after each catch. Hey - it's the best I've got! I'm looking hard for ANY growth from week 1 to week 2.

Outside of Isaac and maybe Perry, this team hasn't developed any weapons yet. Hopefully that will change as the season goes on with the young potential on this team. Speight is a (somewhat) high floor, low ceiling QB who does a good job of getting the ball to playmakers when he is playing well. He has limited ability to make plays on his own. I think we are seeing the impact of losing Darboh, Chesson, Butt as well as Peppers. I'm sure it was easier to call plays for those four than it has been for the kids currently on the team. Speight also doesn't appear to have found a good rhythm with the new receivers. The defense may have to continue to carry the team for a while until the Offense develops.

 

I think the coaches tried very hard to avoid showing anything in this game. They wanted a super bland, vanilla offense. They wanted to run a 3-3-5 with only a few bland, vanilla blitzes. Both of those ideas stopped working as the game went on, and the coaches were forced to vary their playcalling.

I don't think anyone took this game seriously, including the coaches. That's on the coaches.

And since there isn't a scheduling snowflakes thread: very annoying that Air Force, Indiana, and Penn State all have byes before they play us.

I had a worry that we might come out a little flat after playing on a huge stage last week against a ranked Florida. I think we once again saw the downside of playing a big time season opener and playing a crappy non-P5 the next week.

They got let into the game due to our mistakes. Punt returns have become scary again. 

If DPJ fair catches that ball and we go down the field and go up 21-0, it's off to the races. 

Speight was 17-29, 221 yards with 2 TD and no INT. Not a bad game statistically. The two fumbles on hand offs is ridiculous. 

Don't turn the ball over, and this game is 52-7. Statistically, this should've been a 52-7 game. Offense had over 400 yards. 

Harbaugh said it best. You can't get experience unless you play. Oh and btw, Grant Perry caught that ball that wasn't ruled incomplete. The refs can eat a dick for their shittery today.

Was a beautiful day though. Here's a cool stat:

Delano Hill returned a pick six in last year's season opener.

Lavert Hill returned a pick six in this year's season opener. 

Great stuff.

GO BLUE!!!

 

a Don Brown equivalent coordinator on offense. JH must concentrate on that in the next off-season.

I think M may need to move on from Drevno

playcalling isn't that bad, no plays look good when the qb has terrible accuracy and the OL still isn't very good. If you can't throw and you can't block then what exactly are you supposed to call?

why are the RBs not part of the passing game?!?!?!